Play Our Parts
by TaintedRose2
Summary: This is a story of what can happen when the world of reality we know is taken away and the wacky Buffy world becomes the reality. This is based on a real fiction story that was the creation of late-night sugar highs. You have been warned. Rating for langu
1. Enter the Jossverse

Description: This is a story of what can happen when the world of reality we know is taken away and the wacky Buffy world becomes the reality. This is based on a real fiction story that was the creation of late-night sugar highs. You have been warned.  
  
A/N: I wrote this with one of my friends who is not part of FanFic. I'm Meghan and she's Jessica. It's in a script format (well my sad version of it). I think that's it. Please R&R, it's my first story.  
  
Disclaimer:  
  
We do not own any of the traditional Joss and Fox property (i.e. Buffy and friends) so don't sue for our use of them purely for our entertainment and the entertainment others who read this story (i.e. YOU!). We do however claim full rights over the "characters" known as Jessica and Meghan because they are based on the two of us who are writing this. Some names may or may not have been changed to protect certain persons from harsh discrimination due the total lack of purpose of this story. Those same character rights are also claimed on the T.V. repairman and any other character not part of Joss's Season Six and Seven of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Now that this legal stuff is out of the way, Enjoy!  
  
-TR2   
  
BARGAINING  
  
DATE: Summer of 2003  
  
The doorbell rings and a blond haired girl named, JESSICA runs to answer it. She opens it to find her younger brunet friend, MEGHAN, behind it.   
  
JESSICA: What the hell took you so long?  
  
MEGHAN: There's this thing called traffic, likes to be slow, ever heard of it?  
  
JESSICA: No.  
  
MEGHAN: Whatever. Did you get a pizza or what?   
  
JESSICA: Just got here before you did.  
  
MEGHAN: Are we in the basement or livingroom?  
  
JESSICA: Basement.  
  
MEGHAN: Buffyfest in the basement, kinda catchy.  
  
JESSICA: Freak.  
  
MEGHAN: Yes but a very smart one. I 'm hot just standing here.  
  
JESSICA: Well it's hot outside.  
  
MEGHAN: That was the non-traditional way of saying 'let me in'. So?  
  
JESSICA: So what?  
  
MEGHAN: So are you gonna let me in?  
  
JESSICA: I guess.  
  
MEGHAN: Finally. Damn Buff, you're acting more like a blond today than usual.  
  
Jessica: Shut up, Dawn!  
  
They laugh at the use of their self-given nicknames. Jessica leads the way from the front door, through the kitchen, and down stairs into the basement where they fall onto the couch. The Buffy reruns are not until later so Jessica picks up the remote and flip through the channels until then.  
  
MEGHAN: It's a shame that they ended Buffy. I would really like it to have lasted longer than it did. Maybe I can get a job on the sequel series.  
  
JESSICA: How do you know that they are even gonna do a sequel series? What if they don't?  
  
MEGHAN: They have too! I'll have to hunt them down and hurt them until they do.  
  
JESSICA: Speaking of hunting and hurting, I'd do that until they redo the entire six and seven seasons. I mean the Buffy/Spike thing, can I be the first to say ewww? And then season seven is all about Spike and then they make him a hero. I'm glad he died but I'm angry they did it like that.  
  
MEGHAN: First of all, first to say "ewww"? How many freaking times have you said that to me since "Grave"? As for the seven's all about Spike, I'll give you that. But we all saw the whole 'Spike dies as a hero' thing coming. There was no way to prevent Joss from doing it.  
  
JESSICA: We knew it was coming. We should have had violent protests or something. Ooh, look! Pleasantville.  
  
MEGHAN: Why is it always the violence with you? What happened to happiness?  
  
JESSICA: (Taking on a sudden British accent) Oh, now we see the violence inherent in the system. Come and see the violence inherent in the system! Help! Help! I'm being repressed!  
  
Meghan and Jessica laugh and begin to munch on their pizza. It nears the time when the Buffy reruns are to come on. Jessica is checking to see what will be on what channels later. Meghan just sees that there is also a Buffy marathon on FX. They are showing Season Two. The season Meghan was unable to watch that much of. She saw 'When She Was Bad', parts of every episode from 'School Hard' to 'Lie to Me' and all of 'Killed By Death' to the 'Becoming' 's. But there was a marathon and she could see them all as they were meant to be seen: together, as a long movie with commercial breaks. Jessica on the other hand had found out about the UPN marathon weeks before. They would be showing both Seasons Six and Seven (Come on pretend, in the middle of the summer who know's what they might do). These two seasons had been missed by her due to her total lack of UPN until her mom recently had had it added to the satellite listings.  
  
MEGHAN: Hey, Jessica. There's a marathon on FX.  
  
JESSICA: So?  
  
MEGHAN: It's season two of Buffy.   
  
Jessica: I want to watch Buffy on UPN. (Points remote to TV)  
  
Meghan: No, we are going to watch the marathon on FX. (Takes remote away and punches in a new number)  
  
Jessica: No, UPN. (Grabs remote from Meghan and stares at her)  
  
Meghan: No, FX. (Takes remote away from Jessica again)  
  
Jessica: UPN. (Pulls remote in her direction)  
  
Meghan: FX (pulling)  
  
Jessica: UPN! (Pulling)  
  
Meghan: FX! (Pulling)  
  
Fight ensues and the remote is thrown against the wall and shatters. A strange man enters their home, runs to their basement, grabs the pieces of the old remote, and tosses to Jessica a new one.  
  
Man: Use this.  
  
He then walks up their stairs from the basement and back up the door.  
  
Meghan: Well that was weird.   
  
Jessica makes no comment.  
  
Meghan: Jess . . . Jess . . . Jessica!  
  
Meghan turns to find that Jessica is about to turn on the TV. Meghan jumps at her. Jessica tries to keep her from reaching the remote. It is too late. They both plummet to the floor and they both have their hands on the remote. Jessica is pressing the button. There is a freak- light-transfer-thing-y. There is a zoom in on Meghan who is lying down. She pushes herself up.  
  
Meghan: Jess, I . . .  
  
There is a zoom out. Meghan looks around to find herself in Dawn's bedroom.  
  
Meghan: I don't think we're in Kansas anymore.   
  
(If there was one, the Buffy opening would be happening right about now.)  
  
So hey what did you think? Review please. I will love you and maybe even email you my thanks. Next post should be soon. TR2. 


	2. More Than Bargained For

DISCLAIMER: See first chapter. That one was funny, and I don't have any time to create another just as funny. Anyway, if you don't know, they belong to Joss, not me or my partner in crime.  
  
A/N: Hey all! Here it is the moment you've been waiting for when you find out more of what in the hellmouth is going. R&R. Ideas, thoughts, questions, comments, and even flames are welcome. We get satisfaction from knowing that people took the time to read it. And now . . .

* * *

**MORE THAN BARGAINED FOR**  
  
_Meghan jumps off the bed quickly and ends up falling to the floor.   
_  
MEGHAN: Ow!! (then in a whisper) No.  
  
_She thinks for a moment and jumps to her feet.  
_  
MEGHAN: No. No. No. No. No! It hurt. It hurt! No. I'm dreaming. I'm not really in Dawn's room. I'm just gonna close my eyes and when I open them I'll find myself on the basement floor.  
  
_She closes her eyes and then slowly opens one. She shuts it again and then clicks her heels together three times chanting, "there's no place like home." She opens her eyes again to find she hasn't left. She sighs.  
_  
MEGHAN: Okay, Meghan. Use your logic. We can reason all this out. So first question. What am I doing in Dawn's room? Second question: How did I even get here anyway? Okay. Jess and I were fighting over UPN or FX. Then... the remote broke. Then the crazy repair man showed up and gave us a new one. The remote ... THE REMOTE! So I guess Jess won. Only I'm not just watching UPN. I'm in it. Right. Now, where the hell is she? If the remote brought me here, it should have brought her here too.  
  
_She looks at her watch, a clock by the bed and out the window. It is nearly eight in the morning. She cautiously begins to walk out of the room, just waiting to hear the scream of the first person to see her.  
_  
MEGHAN: I wonder what Dawn would think if she found a stranger in her room.  
  
_She hurries out of Dawn's room and into the hall. She hears voices in the kitchen.   
_  
MEGHAN: Okay. Let's see. I'm in the house and it sounds like Willow and Tara and maybe Jessica down stairs. Hey. She's probably asking them for help. I guess Jessica won. Looks like we're in the sixth season.  
  
WILLOW: (in the kitchen) Dawn? Hurry up! You need to eat before you go to school.  
  
_Meghan races down stairs. She should help Jessica with her story. Jessica is behind a large stack of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Willow and Tara looked up at her and smile. Meghan smiles back, confused as to why they were smiling instead of questioning her about who she was.  
_  
TARA: Here's some juice and pancakes are on the way. Funny shapes or rounds?  
  
MEGHAN: What? (She is confused)  
  
TARA: Funny shapes or round pancakes?  
  
_Tara begins making the pancakes anyway.  
_  
MEGHAN: Wait a minute.  
  
_Meghan looks over at Jessica. Her eyes are wide with shock. It wasn't Jessica. It was a robot. The Buffybot, that looked like her friend.  
_  
WILLOW: Are you alright, Dawnie?  
  
_They continue making breakfast. Meghan was suddenly reminded of Pleasantville. She had entered Hellsville. It dawns on her.   
_  
MEGHAN: (whispering to herself) Dear god, Jessica's dead and . . . I'm Dawn!  
  
_Xander walks in the back door.  
_  
XANDER: House of chicks, relax. I am the man and I have a tool. Tools. Lot of tools in my, uh, toolbox. Ah, sandwiches. Excellent. Men like sandwiches.  
  
_Buffy(JESSICA)bot hands Xander a pile of sandwiches. Meghan can only watch in shock at the scene before her eyes.  
_  
WILLOW: Help yourself, really.  
  
TARA: Oh. I forgot to un-start her.  
  
WILLOW: So what brings you here so early, your macho-ness?  
  
XANDER: Brought that soldering iron you wanted for Buffybot's tune up.  
  
TARA: You got funny shapes.  
  
_Tara puts the pancakes on Meghan's plate. All she can do is stare at them. Meghan tries to think. She figures she'll just play along until she has more time to think about what's going on. The phone rings. Meghan remembers that she has lines to say.  
_  
JESSICABOT: I'll get it.  
  
WILLOW, TARA, & MEGHAN: NO!  
  
MEGHAN: (from memory) It could be my dad. He said he'd call today.  
  
JESSICABOT: I'll just say hello. He's my biological ancestor.  
  
_Willow answers the phone.  
_  
WILLOW: Hello. Hey Anya.  
  
_Everyone goes back to what they were doing while Willow talks.  
_  
WILLOW: Really? That's fantastic. Uh, Anya found that thing for tonight.  
  
XANDER: Oh yeah? Great.  
  
WILLOW: And you're her sweet cookie face.  
  
XANDER: I go by many names.  
  
MEGHAN: What's tonight?  
  
TARA: Just a Scooby meeting. Spike will be here with you.  
  
WILLOW: Um, Buffybot maybe you should let the machine, the other machine, let the answer the phone from now on.  
  
JESSICABOT: Is my phone manner not correct?  
  
TARA: Oh. It's perfect. It's just we can't take the chance that Mr. Summers might talk to you and know something's wrong.   
  
XANDER: If he thought the real Buffy was gone he could take Dawn away.   
  
_There is a pause until Meghan remembers the line.  
_  
MEGHAN: And I want to stay here with you and Willow and Tara. Understand?  
  
JESSICABOT: I do. I want you to stay here as well. You're my sister.  
  
_The bot hugs Meghan. Meghan is disturbed by this because she's being hugged a robot that looks like her best friend and also think it's her sister. The rest give her sad looks.  
_  
XANDER: So. Excellent. We're agreed. Sit your robo-self down so we can get to work. Need to fix up those fighting skills pronto.  
  
WILLOW: Actually, we have bigger worries than her fighting skill today.  
  
TARA: Way bigger.  
  
XANDER: I guess. Depends on how highly you prize punning.  
  
WILLOW: I'm serious, Xander. Buffybot is about to face her most dangerous challenge ever.  
  
_Buffybot and Meghan are walking down the street to her school. Meghan is just walking idly as she has no idea where the school is at. As they walk Meghan constantly turns to the Buffybot that looks amazingly like her friend Jessica. Finally Meghan stops. Buffybot continues walking. Buffybot sees that Meghan had stopped. She walks backward a few steps. Looks at Meghan. Meghan turns to Buffybot and starts poking her face.   
_  
BUFFY(JESSICA) BOT: Is there something wrong? Do I need maintenance?  
  
MEGHAN: I don't think so. I'm just trying to figure out if your really real or not.  
  
BUFFY(JESSICA)BOT: Oh. (pauses) Is that the answer to the 'If we want her to be exactly she'll never be exactly I know the only really real Buffy is really Buffy and she's gone' who, knock-knock joke?  
  
MEGHAN: What? Oh, um, no. That wasn't even a knock-knock joke.  
  
_They continue walking.  
_  
BUFFY(JESSICA)BOT: You know what Dawn? I think I'm going to like going to your building of education.  
  
_Meghan shakes her head and continues walking. Buffybot and Meghan finally arrive at school and are in a class room with a teacher talking. Meghan is not really paying attention. Buffybot stands and starts to talk. Meghan then remembers what happens next.  
_  
MEGHAN: (softly and at the same time as Buffybot) School is where you learn.  
  
_Buffybot sits back down and the teacher continues. Buffybot once again prepares to speak.  
_  
MEGHAN: (softly and at same time as Buffybot) I helped make lunch today.  
  
_Meghan then points to the other parents who when are pointed at talk. She then slouches in her seat and groans.  
_  
_Anya and Giles fight over a statue in the Magic Box. Xander yells at them, then Anya yells at Xander for not telling the about the fact that he still hasn't told them that they are engaged.  
_  
_Willow is at the base of the stairs brushing her hair. Tara is putting on a coat. It is night.  
_  
WILLOW: Dawn!  
  
_Meghan appears at the top of the stairs and runs down.  
_  
MEGHAN: What?  
  
WILLOW: Spike isn't here yet but we have to get going, alright? He should be here in a few minutes.  
  
MEGHAN: Great. (Sarcastically chipper, Willow doesn't notice.)  
  
TARA: We shouldn't be gone that long, but we want to make sure your safe.  
  
MEGHAN: Could everyone just stop worrying about me? I'll be - (opens the door to let them out and finds Spike about to knock) fine?  
  
_Meghan and Spike just stare at each other. Meghan still a little out of orbit by the change in reality. Spike stares because he sees there is something different about "Dawn".   
_  
WILLOW: You're late.  
  
SPIKE: I know. Ran into a vamp.   
  
_Meghan is silently staring at Spike throughout this. We're unclear as to her emotions at this point.  
_  
TARA: We have to go now or we'll be late.  
  
WILLOW: Right. See you later.  
  
_Spike nods and then shoves Meghan when she doesn't say anything.  
_  
MEGHAN: Oh right. Bye.  
  
_Willow and Tara exit. Spike shuts the door behind them.  
_  
SPIKE: What's with you today, bit?  
  
MEGHAN: Nothing much. Just, you know, tired.  
  
SPIKE: Homework?  
  
MEGHAN: Huh?  
  
SPIKE: Do you have homework?  
  
MEGHAN: Oh, um, a little. There was that parent-teacher thing today.  
  
_Meghan and Spike stand there not talking and not moving.   
_  
MEGHAN: You know what? I'm thirsty. I'm gonna go and get something to drink. Then I'm gonna go upstairs and do my homework. You just go do what you do.  
  
_Both Meghan and Spike walk off silently and quickly in different directions.  
  
The Buffybot encounters the vampire that finds out that it is only a machine.  
  
Willow, Tara, Anya, and Xander talk about bringing Buffy back to life.   
  
Spike is siting on the couch. Meghan is walking down the stairs. Spike hears her.  
_  
SPIKE: So how did the bot do today?  
  
_Meghan stops dead in the hall. She looks over at him and then leans on the doorway.  
_  
MEGHAN: She said some stuff that sounded a little weird but my teacher loved her. She wanted to make it national Buffy day.  
  
SPIKE: Makes sense.  
  
MEGHAN: It does?  
  
_Meghan comes over to sit on the couch, curious.  
_  
SPIKE: Yeah, she responded to Buffybot because a robot is predictable, boring. Perfect teacher's pet. That's all schools are, you know. Just factories, spewing out mindless little atomatons. Who go on to be very valuable and productive members of society and you should go, 'cause Buffy would want you to.  
  
_There is a long pause when Meghan does not fill in what Dawn had said. Instead she thinks of a question that's bothered her since season six.  
_  
MEGHAN: Spike, can I ask you a question and you promise you won't get mad at me or anything and you'll be honest with me?  
  
_Spike doesn't say anything.  
_  
MEGHAN: Why did you stay? I mean last year the only reason you stayed was because you liked Buffy and she's gone now. I know you don't like the rest of us, and you've got the until the end of the world to do anything you want. Why did you decide to stay here with a bunch of people you don't like? Don't go on about your promise. I know there's got to be some other reason besides that.  
  
SPIKE: What makes you think I don't like you?  
  
MEGHAN: Come on, Spike. I told you to be honest. You can't really like staying here and babysitting a teenage girl?  
  
SPIKE: Okay when did you start getting so worried about me?  
  
MEGHAN: It's just that a lot of things have been bugging me this summer. There's been a lot of questions floating around in my head. I need to get them answered.  
  
SPIKE: I guess questions are meant to be answered.  
  
_They fall silent.  
_  
MEGHAN: Well?  
  
SPIKE: Well, what?  
  
MEGHAN: Why are you here if you don't like us?  
  
SPIKE: It's not that I don't like you. You and I just really don't have a lot to say to each other. We don't have that much in common.  
  
MEGHAN: How do you know? You've never asked.  
  
SPIKE: I've seen your room.  
  
MEGHAN: So what? It's just a room filled with things that have accumulated over the years. You haven't seen my mind.  
  
SPIKE: That's true, but what's your deal? Why's this important to you?  
  
MEGHAN: It's just that -  
  
_Meghan thinks a moment trying to tell him why she's asking these questions, without telling him that she was from the other side of the TV.  
_  
MEGHAN: I haven't really begun to accept things and I think that I need to. Finding something else to think about except the obvious would help me try and move on.  
  
SPIKE: Did you do some self analysis last night or what?  
  
MEGHAN: I'm being serious. I have to accept and move on. That's what those "coping with loss" books say.  
  
SPIKE: Did they say you had to do it right now? Don't you think you should accept and move on when your ready to?  
  
MEGHAN: What if I don't ever?  
  
SPIKE: I don't think anyone ever totally accepts and totally moves on. That tragedy is still a part of them, and it always will be.  
  
MEGHAN: You know I didn't think we could ever just talk about things, like we did just now.  
  
SPIKE: Neither did I.  
  
MEGHAN: Isn't it weird -  
  
_The door opens. Willow and Tara walk in. Spike and Meghan jump up off the couch.  
_  
WILLOW: Thanks for watching her, Spike. Could you come by again tomorrow?  
  
SPIKE: Yeah, I'll watch the 'bit.  
  
TARA :It means a lot to us, you doing this.  
  
SPIKE: No problem.  
  
WILLOW: I'm going to bed. Night Dawn, Spike. (Willow goes up stairs)  
  
TARA: I think I'm going to follow her. You'll lock up after Spike leaves right?  
  
MEGHAN: Will do.   
  
_Meghan and Spike watch as Tara goes up the stairs after Willow. Spike picks up his coat and puts it on. He and Meghan walk over to the door.  
_  
SPIKE: Guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow night.  
  
MEGHAN: Guess you will.  
  
SPIKE: Night, bit.  
  
MEGHAN: Night, Spike.  
  
_Spike opens the door and walks out it. Meghan leans her head on the door watching him go.  
_  
MEGHAN: Tomorrow . . .what's tomorrow?   
  
_The Jessica-bot walks up to the door. She's been beaten up.  
_  
MEGHAN: Oh! Right!   
  
_Meghan lets the Buffybot in and closes the door.  
_  
_Giles trains the Jessica-bot and the vampire tell the demon about the slayer-bot. Willow gets the last ingredient for the Buffy raising spell. They all meet and the Magic Box. They find that Giles has left.  
  
All the Scoobies are at the airport and have just caught up to Giles. Everyone says their little goodbyes. Tara holds up the monster and says "grrrr, arg". Meghan then gets a sense of realization on her face and Giles comes to hug her goodbye.  
_  
MEGHAN: Giles, can I talk to you separately?  
  
GILES: I don't see why not.  
  
_Meghan leads him off to the side.  
_  
MEGHAN: Do you think this is far enough for them not to hear us? Duh, only a few feet and they can't hear you.  
  
GILES: What are you talking about?  
  
MEGHAN: Giles you can't go.  
  
GILES: Why not?  
  
MEGHAN: Because it would be a waste of money.  
  
GILES: Dawn, I am leaving Sunnydale. There is no point in my staying.  
  
MEGHAN: Sure there is. Just because Buffy's not here right now doesn't mean that I and the others don't need you.  
  
GILES: I'm flattered that you need me, but I am still going. And what do you mean Buffy's not here right now? Dawn she's -  
  
MEGHAN: What? Dead?  
  
_Boarding signal.  
_  
GILES: I have to go now.  
  
MEGHAN: No you don't!  
  
_Meghan grabs that ticket from his hand and begins ripping it to pieces. She tosses it to the ground then begins stomping on it.  
_  
MEGHAN: See? Now you can't go.  
  
_Meghan and Spike are in the house, it is night.  
_  
MEGHAN: You don't have to baby sit me. It's not like I can't take care of myself.  
  
SPIKE: Buffy told me to take care of you.  
  
MEGHAN: Buffy . . .   
  
_And then she remembers. She looks at her watch. It's almost midnight.  
_  
MEGHAN: (jumps up) Oh my god! They're doing it now!  
  
SPIKE: Doing what?  
  
MEGHAN: Call Giles and tell him to stay in his house. I'll get the shovels and we'll go.  
  
SPIKE: Go where?  
  
MEGHAN: Oh, you don't know. There are some demon Vikings who are heading here right now. Tell Giles to take cover.  
  
SPIKE: And we are going to do what? Hit the demons on the head with the shovels?  
  
MEGHAN: Just do it! (Walks out the back to get shovels)  
  
SPIKE: Bloody hell!  
  
_Giles hangs up the phone. He goes to a weapons chest and pulls out a blanket, an ax, and a bottle of whiskey. Willow and the gang are running off in the woods. Jessica wakes up in the grave and begins to claw her way out. Meghan and Spike are walking into the woods around Buffy's grave.  
_  
SPIKE: What the hell are we going to do?  
  
MEGHAN: (noticing the broken urn and motorcycles) Looks like it's already been done. Jessica . . .   
  
_Meghan runs to Buffy's grave and starts digging frantically. Spike looks on in shock at what she is doing. The two demons that had been after the Scoobies returned. Spike kills them and returns to watching Meghan dig. After a certain point, Meghan hears a noise. She tosses her shovel to Spike who is knocked backwards by it. Meghan gets on her knees and is digging with her hands. She helps Jessica up out of the grave. Spike is still laying on the ground opposite the gravestone and is in shock. Meghan and Jessica are on opposite sides of the grave.  
_  
JESSICA: What the hell kinda remote was that? (dusting herself off)  
  
MEGHAN: The kind that transfers us to Buffy-land. (points at Spike who is still on the ground)  
  
JESSICA: Oh, hello. Why was I in a grave?  
  
MEGHAN: You had to watch UPN didn't you?  
  
JESSICA: If you would have just let me have the remote . . . wait what season are we in?  
  
MEGHAN: Sixth, only I've already destroyed it. Giles didn't go to England!  
  
JESSICA: Okay, makes sense. (looks at grave)  
  
MEGHAN: Yeah, well, remember what happens later on in the season? (with an eye nod at Spike)  
  
JESSICA: (jumps back and screams) That will not happen (glares at Spike)  
  
MEGHAN: He's not the enemy right now. We have to save Willow and the others from those demons.  
  
JESSICA: Oh.  
  
_Spike gets up, staring at Buffy/Jessica in disbelief and with his mouth wide open.   
_  
MEGHAN: Can you handle that?  
  
_Jessica looks at Spike and seemingly out of nowhere hits him. Spike spins to ground, and Jessica cackles.   
_  
JESSICA: I think I can handle that.  
  
MEGHAN: Spike and I'll go to Giles and get some weapons.  
  
JESSICA: Okay, cool.  
  
MEGHAN: How can you be so calm about this?  
  
JESSICA: Too many fanfics.  
  
MEGHAN: We're wasting time! Go!  
  
_Jessica runs off. Meghan helps Spike up. They grab one of the over turned bikes and begin to get on.  
_  
SPIKE: Hold on just one minute here.  
  
MEGHAN: What?  
  
SPIKE: How did you know about Buffy and the demons?   
  
MEGHAN: I know a lot of things about the future.  
  
SPIKE: Yeah like what?  
  
MEGHAN: That my knowing it, is going to completely change it. Now let's get to Giles. Jes- Buffy, is going to need some help.  
  
_Jessica is wandering down the streets of Sunnydale. She finally meets the first demon.  
  
Jessica: Hello ugly. (hits him and then smiles) This is gonna be fun.  
_  
_Xander and Willow are still in the woods. Tara and Willow arrive at the Magic Box. Giles is in a corner, with a blanket over him holding the bottle of whiskey with the ax right next to him. Jessica is hitting the demon along with witty comments such as: "This is more fun than it looks on TV." Tara is doing the spell to help Willow and Xander out of the woods. Giles is still huddling, looking around suspiciously. Spike and Meghan open up his door. Giles screams and throws the blanket over him.  
_  
_More demons show up by Jessica.   
_  
LEAD DEMON: Kill her!  
  
JESSICA: That's original.  
  
_Jessica begins fighting the leader. Spike, Meghan, and Giles are loading up with weapons. Jessica is fighting. Meghan, Spike, and Giles show up on the scene as Jessica breaks the neck of the last one.   
_  
Meghan: (throws down an ax) I hate always being late!  
  
_Giles and Spike are still in silent shock as they walk up to the door of the house. Jessica and Meghan are talking as if Jessica hadn't been dead all summer, mostly about cover stories. They walk in the door. Xander, Anya, Willow, and Tara are all in the living room and are also shocked to see "Buffy" alive and well.  
_  
JESSICA: What's up?  
  
XANDER: Buffy, you're back.  
  
WILLOW: It worked! I knew it would! (hugs Jessica)  
  
ANYA: Hey, we didn't screw it up.  
  
GILES: (to Meghan) Can I talk with you in the kitchen?  
  
_Giles and Meghan walk into the kitchen while the gang converse. Spike lingers in the hall, listening in on Giles and Meghan's conversation.  
_  
GILES: How did you know that she was going to come back?  
  
MEGHAN: She didn't just come back. Willow did a spell.  
  
GILES: Willow did what?!?!  
  
MEGHAN: Just don't call her an amateur when you talk to her about it. She'll really want to hurt you for that later on.  
  
GILES: When did you start seeing the future?  
  
MEGHAN: Okay. I saw the future, but not in the way you think.  
  
GILES: Explain it to me.  
  
MEGHAN: I can't. I could, but I probably shouldn't. What we've done up until now has probably already changed things. For good or worse, I don't know.  
  
GILES: So you're not going to tell me anything about the future?  
  
MEGHAN: Nope. Wait. We have to stop Willow. She's heading down a bad path. One the whole world doesn't want her on.  
  
_Giles looks at her with confusion.   
_  
MEGHAN: After we change it, I'll tell you about it.  
  
_Meanwhile, Jessica is in the living room with the Scoobies.  
_  
JESSICA: Does it always feel like a Tuesday here?  
  
_They all look at her strangely.  
_  
JESSICA: (to Xander) You look taller in real life.  
  
_Jessica walks around the room looking at pictures of Joyce, Meghan, and herself.  
_  
WILLOW: How are you feeling?  
  
JESSICA: Fine. You?  
  
ANYA: We just brought you back from the dead and all you feel is fine?  
  
JESSICA: Well, I am a little hungry, maybe a bit tired.  
  
TARA: There doesn't seem to be any obvious side effects.  
  
_Jessica is wandering around biting her nails.  
_  
WILLOW: (with pride) None at all.  
  
ANYA: How did you get out of the coffin?   
  
JESSICA: Meg- Dawn dug me out.  
  
XANDER: How did she know about it?  
  
JESSICA: She found out about the spell.  
  
_Giles and Meghan reenter. Spike is not far behind them.  
_  
WILLOW: Oh.  
  
_Giles gives Willow a disapproving look. Meghan walks over to Jessica, grabs her arm, and starts dragging her up the stairs.   
_  
MEGHAN: Well, now that we have all had a fun-filled night, can we get some sleep?  
  
WILLOW: That's a good idea.  
  
_Willow and Tara follow Jessica and Meghan up the stairs. Tara and Willow head to their room. Jessica goes into the bathroom to clean her wounds. Meghan sits at the top of the stairs and watches the others as they leave. Spike, the last out the door, looks up at Meghan and glares at her. Meghan waves, and Spike walks out the door. Meghan gets up and walks to the bathroom to help Jessica out. Jessica is fooling around with many band aids as Meghan enters.  
_  
MEGHAN: Why didn't you just take the first aid class?  
  
JESSICA: Shut up. (pause) Help.  
  
_Meghan wraps her wounds for her.  
_  
JESSICA: What's going on?  
  
MEGHAN: That remote thing-y, as I said, zapped us into Buffy-land. Like in 'Pleasantville'.  
  
JESSICA: But everything here is not in black and white.  
  
MEGHAN: Funny. But everything here is covered in vampires.  
  
JESSICA: Oh yeah. I forgot about them.  
  
MEGHAN: One just left our- Buffy's house - and you forgot? And speaking of Spike, I think he's figured out that something's up . . . besides you.  
  
JESSICA: What makes you think that?  
  
MEGHAN: He kept asking me how I knew you were coming back. Giles, I told him part of the story . . . damn his vampire hearing! Spike heard what I said and now he's freaking out!  
  
JESSICA: We just have to go with it until we find a way home.  
  
MEGHAN: And only Giles can help us with that.  
  
_They go to exit the bathroom. Spike in tree looking in the window. Both Jessica and Meghan stop and turn around at the door. Spike falls out of the tree. They shrug and walk off._  
  
THE END . . .for now

* * *

THANKS & EXCUSES: Hey all, sorry this one took forever. You see proms had to be attended, apocalypses averted, and lost floppy disks had to be found. Not to mention the fact things had to be written and edited. Like I wrote above any kind of R&R is welcome. If you are confused let us know. We'll make it more clear. Thanks to Freezyboncoolipants for our first & only review. We love you lots!!! It kept the search for the floppy disk on.  
  
A/N 2: Hey, I have been dreading working on this for a very long time. I feel like I've accomplished something now that this is posted. Also, the line "I think he's figured out something's up ... besides you." was not meant to be sexual innuendo. I meant that she was up from the grave. I felt compelled to explain that simply because "Jessica" had read it and had a very strange reaction - a loud WHAT? followed by much laughter. Okay, I'm done now. I won't say when the next post will be because I honestly have no idea. 


	3. Wrong Life

Disclaimer: Don't own it. Wish I did. Sad that I didn't think of it. Enough said.

A/N: Hey all. I know. It's been a summer. Literally. We're all partied out now and full of new ideas - like format. We're going to a story form. We thought it would make it easy for other people to read and it also allows for us to add character details that we couldn't have before. Try it on for size. If you don't like it . . .well there's this thing called a "review button" it works just like the Customer Service area. You have questions. We'll have answers. TTFN.

* * *

WRONG LIFE

Meghan and Jessica begin to leave the bath room. Meghan walks off to her room.

"Um, Meghan?"Jessica asks.

"What?"

"Where's my room?"

"Oh right, you've never been in there before. Now, when I first got here, I landed on my bed in Dawn's room," Meghan explains as she leads the way to Jessica's room and opens the door. "If you need anything, I'm over there." Meghan points to her door.

"Alright. Goodnight."

"Night."

Meghan walks off to her room and Jessica walks into Buffy's. She looks around curiously. She's never been in there before. She'd seen it plenty of times on TV, but she was now really there. It wasn't like a set. It was a real room. She glances at the things on the dressers and desks. Then she looks at a picture of her, Xander and Willow. It flashes to them all being dead. Jessica freaks and runs to Meghan's room. Jessica flips on the light, and Meghan groans.

"What do you want?"Meghan asks, tired.

"Something really freaky just happened,"Jessica explains.

"Which means we're in a new episode,"Meghan says as she sits up. "Yay. What freaky thing just happened?"

"This picture of me and Xander and Willow changed. We were all dead."

A pensive look forms on Meghan's face.

"So what episode are we in?"Jessica asks impatiently.

Meghan realizes what's going to happen and quickly gets up. She grabs Jessica's arm. They hear something break. Meghan leads her to Jess's new room.

"Hurry! Get in bed and pretend to be asleep!"Meghan commands.

Jessica runs to the bed, and Meghan quickly hides just seconds before Willow and Tara open the door. They look in and then close it again. Meghan sighs. She gets up and motions for Jess to follow her. They walk to Willow and Tara's door.

"What are we doing?" Jessica forms the words with her mouth but doesn't actually speak.

Meghan puts a finger to her mouth and then her hand to her ear. Jessica does the "oh" nod.

"Okay, what in the frilly heck is going on?"Willow asks Tara.

Meghan walks away and back into her room. Jessica follows.

"So what episode?"Jessica asks.

"After Life. The second, After Life, with the spirit that got created because of the spell. It's late and we can talk about it later. Whatever you do, don't say what you know about this episode out loud. Remember what Xander did?"Meghan explains.

"Yeah, I loved that part,"Jessica says with a smile.

"That's nice, but I don't want to breathe fire so we'll kick it's ass tomorrow and everything will be fine,"Meghan says as she crawls into bed.

"Everything?"Jessica asks.

Meghan takes a moment to remember the fact they aren't in the right dimension.

"We'll talk about _that_ after we've removed another demon from the world. Good night."

"Night."

Jessica walks to the door and turns off the light.

The next day Meghan walks down the stairs. Willow sees her.

"Hey, Dawnie, where are you going?"Willow asks.

"Huh?"Meghan asks startled. She didn't know that Willow was already up. "Oh, I was going to go shopping for a present for Buffy before she wakes up. I think she's going to be out for a while. She's still drained from last night."

"Yeah. Well, don't stay out too long. Xander and Anya are coming over."

"Right. Bye, Willow,"Meghan says as she walks out the door.

"Bye."

Jessica wakes up. She gets dressed and begins to walk around looking at things more closely now. She arrives at the kitchen and pours herself a cup off coffee. She continues looking around and ends up going out the front door and walks around back. She sits to watch the discussion going on.

"Very bad. Very, very, very bad. Bad,"Xander says as Anya rubs his back.

"He's all traumatized,"Anya tells the group.  
"Well, whatever it is, it's not the, the traditional haunting, because i-it's not limited to one specific place, and there's not, you know, a dead person,"Willow reasons.  
"Not any more,"Tara points out.  
"I bet it's a hitchhiker,"Anya offers.  
"A hitchhiker?"Xander asks confused.  
"Um, standard way to travel through dimensions. Uh, some demon-thing sees someone moving between worlds, and grabs on for the ride,"Anya explains.  
"You mean like, some hell-beastie rode in with Buffy? Like ... we're responsible for this?"Willow tries to clarify.  
"Assume crash positions,"Tara commands.  
"I think we shouldn't've brought Buffy back. I knew it was going to end badly. I should've said something,"Anya says mostly to herself.  
"Okay, fine, but ... what are we gonna do? I mean, I'm feeling the need for some vigorous doing, you know?"Xander informs them.  
"It's okay. We, we just kill the beastie and then all is good. We're rolling in puppies! ... Right?"Willow says, offering the normal answer to their every problem - violence.  
"Can we do that? Kill it?"Xander asks.

"Yay! Killing things,"Jessica says from her seat on the ground.

They all look over at her in surprise. Jessica just sits there in jeans and a shirt, holding a coffee mug.

"What?"Jessica asks.

"Buffy! You're not supposed to be up,"Willow says.  
"How, how are you feeling? Are you okay?"Tara asks with concern.  
"I'm fine. So what do I get to kill?"Jessica asks with a grin as she gets up and walks over to them.  
"The demon you brought back from Hell with you,"Anya tells her.

Willow gives her an angry look.  
"Uh, huh,"Jessica says confused.  
"It's not like she's making it sound,"Willow begins to explain. "A little haunting-type stuff. Boo-scary, everything's normal."  
"You shouldn't worry about it,"Tara comforts her.  
"Oh right! I remember now!"Jessica says, remembering the episode.

Jessica is silent.

"Buff?"Xander asks.  
"Oh yeah, last night ... the photographs of us changed,"Jessica says, covering up.  
"How did they change?"Tara asks.  
"We were all dead in the pictures. Then they were fine again. I though I was just going crazy."  
"Well, maybe you are. Going crazy. From Hell."Anya offers.

Willow give Anya another angry look.

"No. You're fine,"Anya adds with a fake scoff.  
"You are. And Buffy, we're, we're so glad,"Willow tells her.  
"Yeah. This thing, this haunting thing, we'll fix it, and then we'll still have you back, which is ... it's so important,"Xander jumps in following Willows lead.  
"Yes,"Willow confirms.  
"It's wonderful,"Tara sums up.

"Guess we have to do research now huh?"Jessica asks.

Meghan walks out the back door.

"Hey what going on?"Meghan asks as if she doesn't already know.

"Just talking, Dawnie,"Willow tells her.

"Alright. Hey Xander. Anya. How are you guys?"Meghan asks.

"Good,"Xander says with a fake smile.

"Absolutely peachy,"Anya adds.

"Right,"Meghan says.

"We should be going now to do research, shouldn't we?"Willow suggests.

"Right,"Tara says.

"Alright let's go to the Magic Box,"Anya says.

All move to leave all except Jess and Meghan.

"Are you coming, Buffy?"Willow asks.

Jessica glances at Meghan. Meghan shakes her head "no".

"No. Not yet. I wanted to talk to Dawn,"Jessica says.

"Oh, okay. You do your sister bonding thing,"Xander says. "You can swing by whenever."

"Will do,"Jessica assures them.

They leave. Meghan and Jessica sit down in the now vacant chairs.

"I can't keep doing this. Pretending to her is _so_ hard,"Jessica complains. "So wise one, how- no better yet when- are we getting home?"

"Anytime in between now and the series finale,"Meghan says quickly.

"What?"Jessica asks unbelievingly.

"I kind of didn't want to tell you this, but there is no way around it."

"Tell me what?"Jessica asks almost at the point of yelling.

"Okay, so I went searching around on my first day here, while you were in the grave. I thought the remote had landed somewhere near me, but I checked my whole room over a few times. I didn't find it. Then I combed through the whole house. It wasn't here. Then today I told Willow I was going to go shopping, but I went back over to the grave and checked it out. Jess, it's gone. I've looked everywhere, and the only thing I can tell you is that we're not going home anytime soon."

Jessica's face goes into reality check mode. "Then we'll have to tell Giles. He can do research and find a spell."

"Like he's really gonna believe us,"Meghan points out.

"He will."

"He will?"Meghan ask unbelievingly.

"When we watch the show we get to see things that not all of the characters get to see. You remember every detail of _Buffy_ so you can tell him a bunch of things about him that Buffy and Dawn wouldn't know and then he'll have to believe you."

"That's a good idea, Jess."

"That's why I'm the leader."

"Whatever."

Later that night Jessica and Meghan are alone in the Summers' living room.

"Are you going to go patrolling?" Meghan asks.

"Should I?" Jessica asks in response.

"It would keep up the appearance that you are Buffy. Plus you could kick some demon ass," Meghan answers.

"Fine," Jessica says as she gets up off the couch.

"Mean while, I will do some research on what happens later in the season," Meghan says following her friend.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"How are you supposed to do that?"

"If Passions exists on both sides then so must all of the web sites!" Meghan exclaims triumphantly.

"Good luck with that."

"And you, don't get hurt. If you die, and I get back, what would I tell your mother?"

"You could make something up," Jessica suggests.

"GO!" Meghan yells.

"Fine. Fine!" Jessica says opening the door. "I'm leaving now. Happy?"

"Very."

Jessica shakes her head and walks out. Meghan walks to a laptop on the dinning room table. She turns it on and then logs on to the Internet. She waits.

"Come on. Come on. I'm stuck in hell and I want to go home!"

The computer beeps indicating that she is online.

"Yay!"

Meghan types furiously on the keyboard.

"What?!?! Where's when you need it! Okay, we'll Google."

There is further mad typing. There is a knock at the door. Meghan sighs and then goes to answers it. Behind the door is Xander.

"Hey, Dawnie. Buffy never stopped over at the Magic Box. Just wanted to make sure things were alright."

"Everything's fine. Buffy went out patrolling."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I'm going to go talk to her. You keep the doors locked."

"Will do."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Xander turns and leaves. Meghan returns to the computer. She looks over the results of her search.

"They're all gone!"She yells in desperation.

Her head falls and she screams in defeat. Xander looks back at the house, wondering if the strange noise came from Dawn.

Jessica is patrolling out in the cemetery. She punches the vampire and he falls to the ground.

"When will you vamps learn? I'm the slayer and you _always_ end up as dust?"She asks him as she stakes him.

There is the noise of a branch cracking. Jessica turns around to face the new threat with her stake at the ready.

"Wait! No slayage required!" Xander yells as he raises his hands.

"Xander? What are you doing out here?"

"Wondering what the hell you're doing out here."

"I'm the slayer. I'm slaying. You on the other hand are acting as food on a silver platter."

"Okay. Not so easy prey now that I have the slayer protecting me. And, yes, I know you are the slayer and that you do slay, but should you really be out here so soon? You know after everything?"

"You got any better ideas?"

"We could go get ice cream. I'll even pay," Xander offers.

Jessica thinks a minute. "Okay."

The doorbell rings at the Summers residence. Meghan growls and leaves the computer and answers it. It is Spike.

"What are you doing here?"Meghan asks.

"Came to check on you and the sis,"Spike says.

"Would everyone just stop worrying about us? We're fine. So you can go,"Meghan says quickly.

She begins to shut door on him. Spike stops her from doing so. Meghan looks up at him in confusion.

"Hold on just a minute! We were so friendly less than a week ago, and now you're shutting me out?"Spike asks.

Meghan realizes that "Dawn" use to have a crush on Spike, and that he had been watching her all summer. Like Jessica, she would have to change for the sake of her part. Meghan pulls door all the way open and gestures for him to come in.

"That's what I thought,"Spike says as he steps into the house with a smile of triumph. "So where's the sis?"

"Patrolling,"Meghan answers as she closes the door. After a short pause she adds, "duh."

"Not even a day and she's back at it. Well, I guess I'll just to have to wait until she comes back then, won't I?" Spike says as if it were the most logical conclusion in all of human history.

Meghan sighs, and then remembers to act Dawn-ish.

"I guess,"She says in a cheerful Dawn-ish manner.

Jessica and Xander are now walking down the darkened streets, each with an ice-cream cone in their hand.

"So how are you, Buffy?"Xander asks.

Jessica looks at him.

"I'm fine,"She says wondering what he means.

"I was afraid you'd say that. Buffy, we pulled you out of hell and left you to dig yourself out of your own grave, for which I cannot apologize more. You keep saying you're fine, but you don't act like it, Buffy. I'm worried about you. We all are. We want to make sure that you are okay. You've been through a lot, but it's nothing we can't deal with together. Do you get what I'm trying to say?"

"You're worried about me?"

"Yeah, Buff."

"That's nice of you."

"Buffy -"Xander says in a tone of "don't avoid the question".

"Okay. I'm not alright. This world is . . . different for me now."

"Different, how?"

"Different as in...everything. It's like, I got so used to...to where I was and then suddenly I get yanked back here. And now I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing and don't know where I'm supposed to be going and sometimes I just wanna scream and close me eyes and hope that when I open them I'm back where everything makes sense. Nothing here makes sense. Except this."

"What?"

"Ice cream. You. Being with my friends again."

"We're glad you're back too."

"Thanks."

"Anytime. Don't you feel a little better now that you've got it out in the open?"Xander says as he hugs her with one arm.

"Yeah, I do,"Jessica says with a smile.

They looked up to see that they were at the Magic Box. Xander moves to walk in. He notices that Jessica doesn't follow.

"Are you coming, Buffy?"

Jessica looks at the others through the window while they research. It's as close as she'll ever get to watching them like she had when she watched them on TV. She can't walk in to the Magic Box just yet.

"No. I've got another cemetery to check out, and Dawn's home alone,"She said as her excuse.

"All right. Well, I'll see you later then,"Xander said.

"Yeah,"

Xander smiles and walks in. Jessica looks on for another moment before turning around.

"Where's the nearest demon?"She asks herself as she walks off into the night.

Back at 1630 Revello Drive, Spike and Meghan are in the dinning room at the table. Spike is dealing out cards. Meghan is doing a drum roll on the table. She flings up her hands as the last card is dealt. There are two piles of chips. Spike's considerably lower than Meghan's.

"Why do you do that?"Spike asks.

"What? The drum roll?"Meghan asks as she picks up cards and sorts them. She looks up at Spike with a smile. "For good luck."

"Right,"Spike says sarcastically.

They throw in chips into a pile at the center of the table.

"How many?"Spike asks.

"Two."

She discards her cards and collects the ones Spike just tossed her. He deals his own. They place their bets.

"You had better have gotten some good cards because if not this pile's mine,"Spike warns her.

"You're bluffing, and I'll call,"Meghan says confidently.

"Fine. What do you have?"

"Two pair,"Meghan says with joy as she lays down her cards.

Spike smiles.

"Straight,"He says as he lays down his cards and begins pulling at the pile.

Meghan is shocked, but smiles as she remembers something.

"Take off your coat,"Meghan commands him.

"What?"Spike asks, caught off guard by the command. He regains reality. "No."

"Take it off,"Meghan says again.

"I'm not going to take off my bloody-"Spike begins as he flings his arm around. Two cards fly out of his sleeve. "coat,"Spike finishes.

Meghan gets a serious look on her face.

"You are like eight times my age and you had to cheat to start winning?"Meghan asks.

Jessica walks in the door.

"I heard voices. Did Willow and Tara-,"Jessica begins. She looks in the dinning room. "Oh . . . Spike."

"'Lo. Dawn and I were just playing some poker,"Spike explains.

Jessica gives a disapproving look.

"It's not like he took me to play kitten poker,"Meghan counters

Jessica laughs a bit, but quickly straightens up because of Spike's presence. Spike just realizes what Meghan said and turns on her.

"How did you know that I . . . wait, that's a good idea,"Spike says.

"Well, it was nice to see- well, um, yeah. Spike, it's a school night, and Dawn needs to get to bed, so bye,"Jessica says.

"I need to talk to you for a minute,"Spike says to Jessica.

Spike looks at Meghan, who doesn't move.

"Alone,"He adds.

Meghan still doesn't move. Spike gives up and walks to the door.

"I'll be out here waiting,"He says as he closes the door.

"What should I do?"Jessica asks Meghan.

"Go out front, hear what he has to say,"Meghan suggests as she stands up. "Whatever you do, don't act like you or the season six "you"-"Meghan does air quotes- "either."

"Why do I have to do all the hard stuff?"Jessica whines.

"You are the Slayer,"Meghan says with mock graveness as she walks past Jessica to the stairs. She goes up the stairs and yells,"Night, Buffy!"

Jessica groans and walks outside. Spike is sitting on the steps smoking a cigarette. Jessica walks past him to stand facing him and the house. She crosses her arms.

"What the hell do you want?"Jessica demands.

"To talk to you,"Spike says calmly.

"About what?"

"I know what it's like to dig yourself our of your own grave. Done it myself."

"That's great."

"You're probably not going to be yourself for a while. It's a huge ordeal."

"Is that all you wanted to tell me?"

"You should know I did save you. Not when it counted, of course, but ... after that. Every night after that. I'd see it all again ... do something different. Faster or more clever, you know? Dozens of times, lots of different ways ... (softly) Every night I save you."

"Lot of good it did."

Spike finally gets pissed off and stands to leave.

"I know you've been acting weird. Resurrection does that to a person. I just wanted you to know that you aren't the only that's been acting strange."

"What are you taking about?"

"Dawn. She's been really different lately. I just wanted you to know that I'll keeping my eyes on her for you."

"Whatever."

"Night, Buffy."

Spike walks off into the night.

"Bastard,"Jessica says before she storms off back into the house.

Meghan is shaking Jessica.

"Jessica, get up,"Meghan commands.

"I don't want to go to school today."

"School is a long way from here, Jessica. We're in Sunnydale."

Jessica looks at her confused and then shoots up in her bed.

"Oh my god!"

"God had nothing to do with this,"Meghan tells her. "Don't worry. I freaked out my first few mornings, too. You wake up thinking you are at home safe in your bed. Then you open your eyes and remember."

Jessica and Meghan are silent for a moment. They are both home sick.

"What did you get me up for?"Jessica finally asks.

"It's dawn."

"You got me up to tell me that?"

"No. We have to get Giles and Spike and head over to the Magic Box, now."

"Alright."

Jessica gets up out of bed.

At the Magic Box, Tara and Xander are looking out the window.

"It's getting light out,"Xander states.  
"I like sunrise better when I'm getting up early than when I'm staying up late, you know? It's like ... I'm seeing it from the wrong side,"Tara tells him.  
Nervously, Xander asks, "Hey, Tara, this is probably crazy ... but Spike got me to thinking. This spell we did ... it's having consequences, isn't it? I mean ... it sure seems like it. And I was just wondering ... did you know that this might happen?"  
"No!"Tara barks out.  
"Do you think ... could someone have known?"Xander asks with even more caution.

"Willow is a talented witch, and she would never do anything to hurt anyone,"Tara retaliates.  
"I know, I know, huh? (raises his hands) Backing off quickly, hands in the air. (sighs) I just meant-"Xander is cut off.  
"Thaumogenesis!"Willow yells through the Magic Box.

They all run to congregate around her.

"She's possessed!"Anya exclaims sleepily.

"I'm not possessed. I-I think I figured it out. This demon, i-it's not a demon we let out. It's, it's a demon that we made,"Willow explains from the book.  
"We made a demon? Bad us,"Xander chimes in with his usual sarcasm  
"Thaumogenesis is when doing a spell actually creates a being. In this case it was like, a, a side-effect, I guess. Like a price,"Willow continues.  
"What?"Xander asks.  
"Think of it like, the world doesn't like you getting something for free, and we asked for this huge gift. Buffy. A-and so the world said, 'fine, but if you have that, you have to take this too.' And it made the demon,"Willow rephrases.  
"Well, technically, that's not a price. That's a gift with purchase,"Anya points out."Why can't we see it? I mean, all we see is us doing stuff,"Xander asks.  
"Well, I, I think it's out of phase with this dimension. Like, its consciousness is here, but, but its body is caught in the ether between existing and not existing,"Willow tries to clarify.  
"It doesn't have a body, so it's borrowing ours. I-it borrowed Anya..."Tara starts realizing what is happening.  
"Or, or it's manifesting copies of them, like, like it did when Buffy came at us..."Willow follows Tara's lead to conclusions about the demon.  
"It's using them to do stuff. To scare us, attack us,"Tara further explains.  
"So we need to uncreate it, right? We need to send it the rest of the way out of our world,"Xander offers.  
"Uh-huh. Except that ... it's linked to the spell. So, if we sent it away ... it would be like the spell doesn't exist. Like it never happened,"Willow explains slowly.  
They all realize what that would mean.

"There has to be another way,"Xander says shortly.  
"There's always another way, Xander. Don't worry."Tara comforts him.

Willow has turned back to her book.

"Wait. Wait. Hold on,"Willow says as she smiles.  
"What? Why are you smiling? That's inappropriate,"Anya informs her.  
"Because it's temporary,"Willow tells them.  
"What is?"Xander asks still confused.  
"The demon. I-it's gonna dissipate. The only way for it to survive on this plane is if it were to kill the subject of the original spell,"Willow

"It would live if it killed Buffy?"Tara asks.  
"That's not gonna-"Willow begins.

Meghan, Jessica, Spike, and Giles burst through the door.

"Stop whatever you are saying! It will hear you!"Meghan commands.

Xander lifts his head and we see that his eyes are white.

"Too late,"Jessica says.

"Thanks for the tip,"The demon in Xander's body says.

Xander collapses to the floor. Again we see the little bulge move across the floor toward a wall.

"Well, that's just great!"Meghan yells as she leads the entering group further into the Magic Box.

"What happened?"Giles asked.

"The demon I told you about just figured out how to make itself whole again,"Meghan says. "Okay. Willow, Tara, you two start the spell to give it a body. Anya, Xander, help me clear off this table. Je - Buffy try and draw the thing to you and away from the spell. Spike, Giles, we'll need some weapons to kill this thing when the spell is finished."

Jessica, Spike, Giles, Xander, and Anya do not move.

"Why are we doing a spell to give it a body?"Giles asks.

"So we can kill it,"Meghan says in a rush.

"Spirits can't do no harm,"Spike points out.

"Aren't you listening? This thing just figured out how to make its self permanent. It'll be trying to kill Buffy any second here. If we don't give it a body she can't kill it before it kills her!"Meghan yells at them.

"Alright. Spike?"Giles asks.

"Coming,"He says shortly.

Spike and Giles walk to back room.

"Why do we have to clear off the table?"Anya asks.

"Tara and Willow are going to need some room to do the spell,"Meghan explains losing her patients with them.

"Fine,"Anya says.

Xander and Anya take the books off the table. Willow and Tara walk over to table with supplies. Giles and Spike re-enter room with weapons.

"I have a question,"Jessica tells Meghan.

"What?"Meghan asks.

"How do I-"Jessica is cut off.

Spike with an ax lunges at Jessica and pins her to the floor with the handle of the ax across her throat.

"Never mind,"Jessica says. "This is gonna be fun."

Jessica/Spike fight begins. Giles attempts to help. Anya, Xander, Willow, and Tara stare.

"Don't just stand there! Do the spell!"Meghan yells.

Willow and Tara begin spell. The spirit body hops to everyone except Jessica (because she is the other part of the spell), Willow and Tara (because they are doing a spell). As it hops everyone has to get to regroup to figure out which person it's in. (this is funny to watch) Willow and Tara finish the spell. The demon spirit is ripped out of Anya's body and has a body of its own. Jessica walks over to it with ax in hand, smiles and decapitates it.

"Whose turn is it to bury the body?"Jessica asks.

They all glance around at each other, out of breath.

"Remind me why I agreed to get up early on a Saturday,"Jessica tells Meghan.

Jessica and Meghan are walking around in Sunnydale.

"You're the one that came up with the idea to tell Giles. Remember, oh-fearless-leader?"Meghan tells her.

"I don't recall saying it had to be Saturday morning,"Jessica points out.

"It was today or tomorrow because I have to go to school on the weekdays. It was in the morning because that's when the sun is up."

"What does the sun have to do with anything?"

"Well, Spike is suspicious of us, remember? If it's daylight he can't follow us around and overhear things he shouldn't hear."

"Correction. Spike is suspicious of _you_."

"Me? Why is he suspicious of me?"

"How the hell should I know?" Jessica takes a look around. "Do you even know where you are going?"

"Yes."

"I think we've passed this street before."

"Well, I had to remember where I was going. The one and only time I was over at Giles, I was running from the graveyard with Spike in the middle of the night."

"You mean to tell me you've been leading me in circles?"Jessica demands as she stops the both of them.

"Yes."

"Oh my god. Let's just go back now."

"No."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because we're here."

Jessica looks at her confused. Meghan points behind Jessica. There is the door to Giles's apartment.

"Oh."

They walk up to it and Meghan knocks. Giles answers the door.

"Hello, Buffy, Dawn. What are you doing here?"Giles mostly asks Jessica.

"We wanted to talk to you,"Meghan says.

Giles looks at Meghan strangely because it is out of character for "Dawn" to take the lead. Giles moves so they can enter.

"Wow. It looks really nice in here,"Jessica says.

Meghan continues walking to the living room area.

"It hasn't changes since you, well, you know,"Giles says.

Giles and Jessica follow Meghan in the living room area. Meghan begins pacing - her thinking mode.

"So what did you want to talk to me about, Dawn?"Giles asks.

"That's just it,"Meghan says to herself.

"What?"Giles asks confused.

Meghan stops pacing and with a breath pulls herself togther.

"Giles, you may want to sit down for this. It's a bit complicated, what I'm about to tell you,"Meghan tell him.

"All right,"He says as he sits. "Now, what is it?"

"Um, the other night you asked me how I knew what was going on and how Willow did a spell, remember?"Meghan begins.

"Yes, I remember. You came here to explain?"Giles sums up for her.

"Yes. Um, you see, I knew what was going to happen because I saw it,"Meghan says slowly.

"You have visions now?"Giles asks alarmed.

"No. I saw it on TV,"Meghan clarifies.

"What?"Giles asks more confused.

"I am screwing this up so bad. Jessica, you want a swing at it?"Meghan asks her friend.

"Jessica? Who is Jessica?"Giles asks.

"That would be me,"Jessica says raising her hand. "Sure."

Meghan begins pacing again as Jessica claims the spotlight in order to explain this to him.

"There is once concept you have to know first,"Jessica opens up. "We're(she points to herself and Meghan) not Buffy and Dawn. We're Jessica and Meghan and we're from a different dimension where this is just a TV show."

Giles begins laughing. Meghan and Jessica share a "what is that all about" look.

"That is a great joke, but it's not going to work on me. You can't make me seriously believe that this is all just a TV show,"Giles says.

"Actually, that's exactly what we want you to help us with. We want you tell help us get home, Giles."

Giles just laughs again. "Yes, I'll help you . . .um, Jessica,"

"I told you he wouldn't believe us,"Meghan says.

"You were right, Dawn,"Giles tells the girls.

"Time for phase two. Giles, do you know how on TV shows you get to see things that the other characters don't?"

"Yes. Irony. The audience knows something the characters don't. It's a classical devise. Even Shakespear used it."

"Okay, I didn't need the English lesson, but you know what it is. If we could tell you things about you that Dawn and Buffy couldn't possibly know, would you believe us then?"

"Maybe,"Giles says.

"Take it away, Meghan,"Jessica says.

"Why do I have to do it?"Meghan asks.

"Because you remember all of the details,"Jessica points out.

"Fine,"Meghan acquiesces.

Meghan stops pacing and sits down on the coffee table across from Giles. Jessica wanders around the apartment looking at things.

"You're serious about this?"Giles asks.

"Yes. Now let's start from the beginning, shall we?"Meghan says.

"That seems like a logical place to begin,"Giles says.

"Okay- first season. Buffy knocked you out so you wouldn't go after the Master. I think 'I defy prophecy,' were your exact words."

"Buffy could have told you that,"Giles points out.

"Yes, she could have. Second season you were dating Jenny Calendar. She talked about rules of dating and you were like 'oh, so this _is_ a date!'"

"Buffy could have overheard,"Giles says.

"Then in the third season you slept with Joyce twice on the hood of a cop car after you robbed a store for a coat she liked and beat up a cop."

"Buffy could read minds . . ."Giles rationalizes.

"Oh and the third season was home of one of my favorite quotes!"Meghan suddenly takes on a British accent. "_Oh, don't you like my mask? Isn't it pretty? It raises the dead! Bloody Americans."_

"I was in the car alone - "Giles whispers beginning to believe.

"Until you were attacked by zombies,"Meghan fills in. "And in season four you got drunk with Ethan and he turned you into a demon. You had to ask Spike for help. In the end you wanted to go watch the military boys 'handle' Ethan."

"Buffy could have told you,"Giles says, switching back to nonbeliever again.

"But could she have told me that in your dream with the first slayer, you were at the Bronze singing on stage about your current predicament and asking Willow and Xander not bleed on your couch because it was just _steam cleaned?"_ Meghan asks singing, 'steam cleaned' as he did.

"You know what I dreamt!"Giles says bewildered.

"Yeah. Do you believe us know?"Meghan asks.

"Tell me something else that you shouldn't know,"Giles asks.

"Well, season five - during the Dracula episode - you fell into a pit with the three Weird Sisters. Riley had to save you and you lost your shoe."

"This isn't possible -"Giles gets up and begins pacing furiously. "You can't know -"

"What? That you killed Ben?"Meghan asks.

Giles stops dead. He holds his breath and stares at her.

"I did kill Ben,"Giles confesses.

"You wanted to go back to England because of a conversation you had with the Buffybot,"Meghan says softly.

"Dear Lord! You _aren't _Dawn."

"That's what we've been trying to tell you!"Jessica yells.

They both look at her. Giles composes himself.

"What did you say your names were again?"Giles asks.

"She's Jessica and I'm Meghan,"Meghan tells him. "It's nice to meet you."

"Hi, Giles,"Jessica says.

"Hello. I'm just a bit _off_ after all this,"Giles apologizes.

"Giles we just want to go home. We figured you'd be the one to talk about that,"Meghan explains.

"How did you get here in the first place?"Giles asks.

"Well, you see, there was this magical remote that sent us through the TV,"Jessica tells him.

"Sarcasm. You should get along well with Xander,"Giles says offhandedly.

"She's being serious, Giles,"Meghan tells him.

"Oh! And where is this . . .magical remote?"Giles asks.

"We don't know. We can't find it,"Meghan informs him.

"Well, we should start with a locator spell,"Giles says walking to the bookshelf in research mode.

"I'll get some candles,"Jessica says.

Meghan rolls her eyes.

Giles sits on the floor surrounded by candles. Meghan lights the candles, and Jessica stands waiting by the lights.

"I really think that one of you should be performing the spell. You were the last to touch it,"Giles explains.

"We would if we knew Latin or had any magical powers, but sadly we don't. Jess, lights,"Meghan says.

Jessica switches off the lights. Giles begins to chant in Latin. Wind blows through their hair and disturbs the candle flames. Jessica looks at Meghan. Meghan feels that is oddly familiar. Without warning, the apparition of a demon appears in front of Giles, knocking Meghan to the floor.

"Do you think you can summon me?"The apparition yells.

The apparition disappear. Jessica throws on the lights. Giles stands on unstable legs. He nearly falls, but Jess catches him.

"What was that?"Giles asks.

Jessica shakes her head. "Meghan, do you know?"

Meghan sits up. The look on her face is distance, remembering something.

"Meghan?"Jessica asks again. "What is it?"

"It's The First,"Meghan says slowly.

A/N: Ha! Aren't you happy? Anyway. I promise to have the next up within a week. All it needs it some editing. Until then, you can review. Please?


	4. Inundated

Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer is not mine. Never has been, never will be. Oh well. This story is mine, but it's not like I'm making any money off of it. I do it for my enjoyment. Actually, I do this because I got bored. So on with the show . . .

**PREVIOUSLY:**

"I can't keep doing this. Pretending to her is _so_ hard,"Jessica complains. "So wise one, how- no better yet when- are we getting home?"

"Anytime in between now and the series finale,"Meghan says quickly.

Jessica's face goes into reality check mode. "Then we'll have to tell Giles. He can do research and find a spell."

"Hold on just a minute! We were so friendly less than a week ago, and now you're shutting me out?"Spike asks.

Meghan realizes that "Dawn" use to have a crush on Spike, and that he had been watching her all summer. Like Jessica, she would have to change for the sake of her part. Meghan pulls door all the way open and gestures for him to come in.

"What the hell do you want?"Jessica demands.

"To talk to you,"Spike says calmly.

"About what?"

"I know you've been acting weird. Resurrection does that to a person. I just wanted you to know that you aren't the only that's been acting strange."

"What are you taking about?"

"Dawn. She's been really different lately. I just wanted you to know that I'll keeping my eyes on her for you."

"Whose turn is it to bury the body?"Jessica asks.

"Hello, Buffy, Dawn. What are you doing here?"Giles mostly asks Jessica.

"We wanted to talk to you,"Meghan says.

Giles looks at Meghan strangely because it is out of character for "Dawn" to take the lead.

"Dear Lord! You _aren't _Dawn,"Giles exclaims.

"That's what we've been trying to tell you!"Jessica yells.

They both look at her. Giles composes himself.

"What did you say your names were again?"Giles asks.

"She's Jessica and I'm Meghan,"Meghan tells him. "It's nice to meet you."

The apparition disappears. Jessica throws on the lights. Giles stands on unstable legs. He nearly falls, but Jess catches him.

"What was that?"Giles asks.

Jessica shakes her head. "Meghan, do you know?"

Meghan sits up. The look on her face is distance, remembering something.

"Meghan?"Jessica asks again. "What is it?"

"It's The First,"Meghan says slowly.

**INUNDATED**

Jessica stares in shock at Meghan. Meghan slowly stands. Together they look at Giles gravely.

"What is it? What first?"Giles asks them.

Jessica looks at Meghan. Meghan nods.

"The First Evil,"Meghan begins. "The thing that brought Angel back from hell. It convinced him to try to kill himself. It has Bringers that do it's bidding for it because it is incorporeal. It must have brought Jessica and I here. I don't know why it would make such a stupid move. Either way this is bad. Uber bad . . ."Meghan says.

Jessica smiles a little at that.

"_Uber_ bad?"Giles asks.

"The first is going to attack us with . . . an ubervamp. One that can't really be staked. Buffy had to decapitate it to kill it,"Jessica explains.

"Dear Lord,"Giles said as he moves to sit on his couch.

Jessica sits on one of his chairs. Meghan paces.

"So how do we stop the First?"Giles asks.

"The First won't be a problem until next season,"Jessica tells him. "I want to know how do we get home?"

Meghan stops pacing.

"This is bigger than us Jessica. Way bigger,"Meghan takes a breath. "Jess, you and I will continue to do research on a way home using the materials at the Magic Box."

"What about Giles?"Jess asks.

"He's going back to England,"Meghan says resolutely.

"What?"Jess and Giles ask at the same time.

"Did you both not hear me? Giles is going back to England,"Meghan repeats.

"Why?"Jessica asks.

"There is a war coming, Jessica. We weren't called in to change something from this season for the First. It wants next season to change, so it will win. We can't let that happen, at any cost. If it wins, we'll never go home."

"What I am to do in England?"Giles asks.

"Gather your resources. Find anything you can about the First. Put the Council on alert. The Bringers will be out killing potential slayers next summer. Do all of this with caution. If the First gets wind of this, it may speed up its plans."

"When should I leave?"Giles asks.

"Not just yet. Maybe after we all lose our memories?"Meghan asks Jessica.

"Sounds good to me,"Jess confirms.

"We all loose our memories?"Giles asks.

"Only temporarily. We'll get them back once Xander steps on the crystal,"Meghan explains. "Willow does a spell."

"Ah, I think I remember you mentioning Willow being on a bad path . . ."

"She'll try to end the world,"Jessica says off handily.

"And I feel so much better. Willow tries to end the world? I don't believe she would ever do that,"Giles replies.

"Believe it, Giles. She'll become addicted to magick. She'll even try to kill you. She'll take the magick you borrowed for the coven in England and try to end the world. Xander will stop her though,"Meghan says.

"This is quiet a lot to wrap my mind around,"Giles says.

"You and me both,"Jess comments.

"We can't talk about this to anyone. Understood?"Meghan asks.

They nod.

"Good. Jess, we need to get back. I have a feeling that there is a leaky pipe that'll need to be fixed soon. Giles, do what you have to do,"Meghan says.

They all stand.

"I'll talk with you both later,"Giles says.

"Count on it,"Meghan says leading Jess to the door.

"Bye,"Jessica says as she follows Meghan out.

The door closes. Giles begins to clean his glasses.

"I think some hard liquor is in order,"Giles says to himself.

Jessica walks around in the basement with the wrench.

"So. We meet at last, Mister Drippy,"Jessica says.

Something about this situation feels familiar to Jessica. She knows that for some reason, this won't end well. Meghan walks half way down the stairs.

"You sure you don't want to call a plumber?"Meghan asks for the thousandth time.

"No, Meghan. I've got it,"Jessica says placing the wrench on the pipe.

"Are you absolutely sure? I've got the number of a plumber right here,"Meghan says.

"For the last time, NO!"Jessica shouts.

"Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you,"Meghan says before disappearing up the stairs.

"Blessed peace,"Jessica says to herself as she turns the wrench.

The drip stops.

"See? Didn't need a plumber. Just some good ol' elbow grease,"Jessica says.

She steps down the step stool and begins to head to the stairs. The pipes groan, and Jessica looks worried. Just then, the pipes burst, shooting water from all directions. Jessica screams and runs up the stairs. Meghan stands there holding a towel. Jessica takes it from her.

"You knew that would happen!"Jessica yells.

"I did warn you,"Meghan says.

"Very Angel-cryptic like,"Jessica replies.

Meghan rolls her eyes.

"I think I'll call Xander. He knows that guy Tito,"Meghan says.

Seconds later, she dials the number and tells Xander the situation. Twenty minutes later, everyone has convened in the kitchen waiting for Xander and Tito to reappear from the basement. The door opens and the two men step out.

"And a big Sunnydale round of applause for Tito the Amazing, plumber extraordinaire,"Xander announces.

"So how's everything looking down there?"Tara asks.

"Like we should start gathering up two of every animal,"Xander says dismally.

"Basically, you're pipes are shot. I mean, the whole system's gonna have to be replaced. What you need is a full copper re-pipe job,"Tito explains handing Willow the invoice.

"A full copper re-pipe? That sounds potentially pricy,"Willow says with worry.

"Well, if you have any questions, our number's on the invoice,"Tito tells them.

Tito pats Xander on the shoulder and leaves, unnoticed by most. Meghan knows of the pricing, and isn't all that interested. She tries to remember what will happen later in the episode. Tara and Buffy examine the invoice however.

"Is _that_ the bill?"Tara asks.

"Hey. Tito cut you a good deal down there. Those are his bargain prices. I did a little haggling for you,"Xander tells them.

"Thanks, Xander. We'll pay him. I don't know what the big deal is."

Everyone exchanges glances.

"Um, Buffy, there's some money stuff we're going to have to talk to you about,"Willow says.

They escort her into the living room and sit her down. After many attempts to break the news to her softly by handing her many bills, Meghan decides to jump in.

"Buffy, we're broke,"Meghan tells Jessica.

Everyone winces, except Meghan, Jessica, and Anya.

"I think I want to call Giles over. Now,"Jessica announces.

"Oh, it'll be fine, Buffy. I sure we can figure out something to do,"Willow assures her.

"I have an idea. We'll burn the house and collect the insurance. Plus, fire? Pretty,"Jessica suggests.

"I'll bring the marshmallows,"Meghan adds.

They both laugh. The others look worried, but begin to easy up as well.

"Well, I have another idea that doesn't involve fire, but would defiantly bring the money rolling in,"Anya says.

"What's that Anya?"Jessica asks.

"Start charging for slaying vamps,"Anya says.

"That sounds like a good idea,"Jessica says.

Everyone else looks skeptical.

"Except for the fact that it doesn't settle well morally,"Meghan added. "Actually, I have a few ideas. Like a loan for one. And everyone getting a job for two."

They all stare at Meghan.

"When did you become a font of financial knowledge?"Xander asks.

"I may be just a teenager, but it doesn't mean I don't know how to get money. You can get a job, or a loan . . . or a scholarship and I know all this from college research,"Meghan says covering her foreknowledge.

They all buy it and continue on.

"I think Dawn is right,"Tara says. "We could ask for a loan. If that doesn't pan out, we can start looking for jobs."

Meghan smiles at Tara.

"Alright, let's all ignore my suggestion,"Anya complains before standing to leave.

Anya walks out. Xander notices and follows her outside to exchange words with her about why he doesn't tell everyone they're engaged already. It almost works, but Anya remembers that he is stalling and storms off.

Jessica looks at herself in the mirror repeating phrases that make it sound as if she knows what she talking about when she has no clue.

"Stupid skirt,"Jessica says.

"You ready?"Tara asks from the door.

"Yeah, I should be. I've practiced enough. I think I'll go now,"Jessica tells her.

"Good luck,"Tara tells her giving her a hug. "You'll be fine."

"I hope so,"Jessica says.

Jessica leaves the room recalling what Meghan had told her about the demon at the bank before Meghan had left for school.

Jessica sits in the office. She stands and smiles when the man arrives.

"Hello,"Jessica begins.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Carl Savitsky. Loan officer,"He tells her as he sits.

Jessica sits back down.

"That's why I'm here. Hoping you'll give me a loan,"Jessica says. "I didn't know what you needed, so I brought everything."

Jessica hands over a folder. He opens it up and begins to go through it.

"I don't think I'll need this, . . . or these. Old report cards, definitely not,"Mr. Savitsky says, pulling papers from the stack.

"Knew I should have taken those out,"Jessica says.

Mr. Savitsky looks up at her. She quickly smiles at him. He returns to looking through the papers.

"So? Do I get a loan?"Jessica asks.

"Yes, well, uh, it looks as if, financially, uh, we have a bit of a tangle."

"Right. I remember property values are low. So no re-financing,"Jessica says remembering the episode.

Mr. Savitsky looks up at her with shock. He didn't expect her to think of things like that.

"Yes, well, that and the fact that you have no income."

"So, if I get another job, can I get a loan then?"Jessica asks.

"You already have a job? I didn't see it on any of the papers,"Mr. Savitsky says looking over the papers again.

"I don't get paid for it,"Jessica explains.

The body of a man crashes through a window sends glass everywhere. People begin to scream. Jessica sits there calmly.

"And that would be my job. Can I borrow this?"Jessica asks about the letter opener.

Mr. Savitsky nods and sinks behind his desk. Jessica cuts a slit in the skirt.

"Just sit tight for a minute. This will be over in no time,"Jessica tells him before running out to the demon. "Hey!"

The demon turns to look at her.

"Are you in the wrong line? That one's for deposits. That's for withdraws. And this one is for getting kicked in the face,"Jessica says as she successfully kicks him in the face.

They continue to fight as someone makes an illegal withdraw. The demon picks up Jessica.

"Put me down, you loser,"Jessica says pounding on him with her fists.

There is a gun shot. The demon stops. Both Jess and the demon stare at the guard.

"Put the girl down,"The guard commands.

The guard's hands shake as he holds the gun. The demon throws Jessica at the guard and begins to leave. Jessica grabs the gun.

"These things? Never helpful,"Jessica tells the guard as she tosses the gun away.

The gun hits the floor and goes off.

"Oops,"Jess says as she runs to the demon.

The demon shoves another person in her path. She moves the person out of her way, but the demon is gone.

"Damn,"Jessica says.

She returns to the loan officer and grabs her papers.

"See what I mean?"She asks as she leaves.

All of them (except Spike) sit in the Magic Box at the table looking through books.

"So then, I left,"Jessica says.

"I guess we have to get jobs now,"Meghan says.

"I guess so,"Tara adds.

"Well, it's not like it'll be the end of the world,"Giles says.

"That's a shame, because we're so good at that,"Jess says.

"The girl has a point,"Xander says.

"Let's be glad that this isn't the end of the world. Because that usually leads to fear, pain, and death,"Anya reminds them.

They all wince except Meghan and Jessica.

"What?"Anya asks.

"An, honey, can I talk to you for a moment at the counter?"Xander asks.

Anya and he get up.

M'Fashnik walks down a street.

Anya and Xander reconvene at the counter.

"We're all still touchy about the 'd' word, An,"Xander explains. "Could you avoid using it for a while?"

"You mean I made them depressed?"Anya asks.

"Yes, you did."

"Well, then let's tell them about us. A good burst of happy news will cheer them right up again,"Anya says.

"Maybe later,"Xander says.

"Chicken."

"Would you stop?"

"Dare you."

"Anya, if I tell them that we're engaged right after you dared me too . . . wouldn't you always wonder if that was the only reason I did it?"

Anya thinks about it.

"Oh,"Anya admits.

"Score one for Captain Logic."

"No, no. Captain Logic is not steering this tugboat. I smell Captain Fear at the wheel!"Anya says.

"Hey!"Meghan exclaims.

Everyone looks at her.

"What is it?"Jess asks.

Anya and Xander return.

"I think I found him. Does it look like him?"Meghan asks Jessica holding out the book.

"Yeah, that's him,"Jessica confirms.

"M'Fashnik,"Meghan tells everyone.

"Ah, yes, M'Fashnik,"Giles says taking the book from Meghan.

"You know it?"Tara asks.

"Yes, by reputation. They come from a long line of mercenary demons that perform acts of slaughter and mayhem for the highest bidder,"Giles explains.

"Well, it is the American way,"Xander comments.

"Ah, yes, but the question now becomes, what's out there powerful enough to control one of these?"Giles asks.

They all fall silent. Something clicks in Meghan's head.

"Giles, I need to talk to you in the training room,"Meghan says.

They both stand and leave.

"I wonder what that's all about?"Willow asks.

They all exchanges puzzled glances. Giles and Meghan walk into the back room.

"There's something, actually, three some things I need to tell you about,"Meghan tells Giles.

"What?"

"The Nerd Herd, better known as the Geek Trio,"Meghan says.

M'Fashnik growls tossing things around inside a basement. He points his finger at the highest bidders.

"We had a deal. You got what you wanted. Now give me what I want. The head of the Slayer!"The demon yells.

The Geek Trio, siting on bean bag chairs and holding stacks of money, look up at M'Fashnik.

"Okay,"Warren says.

"Sure,"Jonathan adds.

"We can do that,"Andrew concludes.

The demon continues to rant about it. The Trio get scared. They go to talk among themselves about whether or not they should kill the Slayer, telling the demon that they want to figure out how to kill her. The demon tells them that it should involve pain.

"You don't have to stay the night, Giles,"Jessica says.

She begins unfolding blankets. Giles moves to help her.

"Well,"Giles lowers his voice. "Meghan said there would be an attack tonight. I want to help if I can."

"You'll probably just get knocked out,"Jessica says.

"That does tend to happen a little too often to me."

"I'm worried. Do you think you'll have any permeant brain damage? I mean you get hit in the head almost every episode of every season,"Jess says.

"I think I'll be fine,"Giles assures her.

Meghan walks down the stairs. She sees Jess and Giles. She sneaks past them to go out the back door and sits on the back step. She lays back on the porch looking up at the stars. Jessica and Giles finish making the bed.

"Well, I think I'm done. I'm off to bed,"Jess says.

"Goodnight,"Giles tells her.

He sighs, but doesn't feel sleepy.

"I guess I could always do the dishes,"He suggests to himself.

Giles walks into the kitchen and begins the dishes.

The nerd herd has a council. They review what they signed on for and decide to just give M'Fashnik Buffy's name, address, and telephone number. The demon leaves.

Willow walks into the kitchen.

"Hey, Giles."

"Hello, Willow. I thought you were going to bed?"

"Yeah, but I wanted a last minute cookie."

"Look I never did get to talk to about what you did. About bringing Buffy back,"Giles begins softly.

Recalling Meghan's warning, Giles remains calm, though he is severely upset about all this.

"I know. It was so cool Giles."

"You shouldn't have done it."

They are silent a moment.

"What? I brought Buffy back. Isn't that a good thing?"

"Yes, Willow, but you've tapped into some very black magicks. Do you understand what you could have done?"

"I don't know what's wrong. I brought Buffy back, Giles. Buffy! I did the impossible!"

"No. I'm sure there are others out there in the world who could do what you did. You just wouldn't want to meet them."

"Probably not. They're the bad guys. I'm not."

"Tell yourself that if it comforts you, but it remains to be seen,"Giles says.

He loses his cool, tosses his towel, and storms out of the kitchen. Willow looks upset. She shakes her head and goes upstairs.

Jessica tosses and turns in her bed but can't fall asleep. She gets up and heads downstairs. Giles is sitting on the couch reading.

"Can't sleep either, huh?"Jessica asks.

"Apparently not,"Giles says. "What about you? Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Something's eating at me, about all this. I'm worried, Giles,"Jessica says. "I mean at first it was cool. How many teens get to be their favorite super hero? Then we find out it's the First that did it, and I don't know. Meghan says that he probably brought us here so that we'll change things, and he'll win. And if he wins, we'll never go home. Giles, I'm just a teenager. I'm from another world for Christ's sake. I don't want to be a slayer."

"And Buffy said just the same thing. I think you're learning what sort of sacrifices heros have to make,"Giles tells her.

Jessica sits down.

"I just want to go home. Sleep in my own bed in my own room in my own house. I don't want to keep pretending to be someone I'm not. I just want this to be over."

"It's not just going to go away. But we'll get through it."

"You sure?"

"You've watched the show. Don't we always get through it?"

"We'll work it through within a minute,"Jess sings.

Giles looks at her funny.

"You'll understand soon enough,"Jessica says.

They sit there in silence.

Meghan is still on the back porch looking up at the sky when she feels someone near by.

"Why's a nibblet like you sitting out where the baddies can get at you?"Spike asks.

"Looking at the stars. It's been a while since I've really looked at them, you know? I loved to do it as a kid . . ."Meghan trailed off.

She doesn't know why she's telling Spike about her childhood. Spike lays down next to her.

"Me, too,"Spike confesses.

"Really?"Meghan asks, looking at him for the first time.

"Yes."

"Okay. So where's Orion?"Meghan asks, wanting proof.

Spike points to it. Meghan notices he's right. There is loud roar from out in front of the house. Both Spike and Meghan look at each other.

"Oh, shit,"Meghan curses as she remembers M'Fashnik's attack.

She jumps up, grabs Spike's hand, and drags him to the front of the house. A tall demon is walking up the street.

"Can you distract him until I get Buffy?"Meghan asks.

Spike nods.

"Keep him out here!"

Spike picks up a rock and runs to the street. Spike tosses the rock at the demon.

"Hey, ugly!"Spike shouts.

The demon turns.

"Yeah, that's right. I'm talking to you. You want to have a go? Come on you pansy,"Spike yells at him.

Meghan laughs as she is suddenly reminded of _Monty Python and the Holy Grail. _The demon charges Spike. Meghan runs in the front door.

"Buffy! Get an ax! M'Fashnik is outside!"Meghan yells.

Giles and Jessica leap to their feet from the couch. Giles moves to the weapons chest and tosses Jessica an ax. Jessica runs outside to help Spike deal with the demon. Meghan runs out to watch. Giles stands behind her. They watch as Jess and Spike successfully kill the demon in the street.

"Yes! We've saved the coffee table!"Meghan exclaims.

Giles looks at her strangely.

"I really know too much about this show,"Meghan says.

Jess and Spike walk up to the house.

"Now, that I'm exhausted, maybe I'll get some sleep. Night, everyone,"Jessica says.

"What about the demon?"Giles asks.

"It's dead. I'm done. Right?"Jessica asks.

"I mean the body,"Giles rephrases.

"Oh, right, well . . .did I ever tell you that I really don't clean things up?"Jess says nervously.

"Don't worry about it, Buffy. I'll take care of it,"Meghan says.

Everyone stares at Meghan.

"You wanna help, Spike? You've got super strength. You could help me move it,"Meghan asks.

Spike's face is grim.

"Please, Spike?"Meghan asks again.

"Fine, bit,"Spike says. "Where are the shovels?"

"I put them back in the shed. Giles, lock the door after us. I have a key,"Meghan says.

"Good night all,"Jessica says as she walks in the door.

"I'll get the shovels,"Spike said walking around back.

"Which one of you is older?"Giles asks Meghan now that they are alone.

"She is by a few months. Why?"Meghan says.

"No reason. You're both doing well,"Giles complements.

"Thanks,"Meghan says before slamming her palm to her forehead. "Right. Phone call tomorrow."

"Phone call?"Giles asks.

"We'll worry about it in the morning,"Meghan says.

Giles nods and walks in the house. Spike returns.

"I have the shovels. I grabbed you some gloves,"Spike says tossing the gloves at her.

Meghan catches them and puts them on.

"Let's go,"Meghan says.

Giles walks in the house. Jessica is sitting on the couch, waiting. She looks up when Giles enters.

"I really don't think I'm doing this right,"Jessica says.

"Doing what?"

"Being her."

"You're doing the best you can. It's all anyone can expect from you."

"But I'm the Slayer, now. What if 'the best I can' isn't enough?"

"Well, Meghan seems to know every move. I'm sure she can keep you from erring too horribly. Beyond that, well, you just need to take it one day at a time. We'll find a way to get you home. I promise,"Giles tells her.

Jessica gets up and hugs him.

"Thanks, Giles,"Jessica says before running up to bed.

"Thank me when you're home,"Giles says to himself.

Meghan and Spike stomp down the dirt over the demon. They pick up their shovels and begin to walk out of the woods.

"I'm never gonna be able to wear this again,"Meghan complains.

"Why not?"Spike asks.

"Well, it's covered in mud, and it's gonna stain. I can't wash it because the washer and dryer are out of commission now that the basement's inundated,"Meghan explains.

"_Inundated_? When did you learn such a big word for 'flooded', Nibblet?"Spike asks.

"Oh, it's amazing how your vocabulary will expand when you read a thesaurus,"Meghan says.

Spike raises an eyebrow in question.

"Long story. Let's just say . . . I got bored,"Meghan offers.

Spike accepts the same excuse Meghan gave to Jessica every time she did something weird, and they fall silent. The woods eventually gives way to a park. Meghan stops to look up at the stars again.

"We need to be getting back, bit,"Spike reminds her.

"Can't we just stay for a few minutes?"Meghan asks softly.

Spike doesn't says anything. Meghan smiles and lays on the ground to look up. Spike thinks a moment before he joins her. They lay side by side in silence.

"Why do you look at the stars?"Spike asks.

"I don't know. I think I look because it makes all my problems feel small and unimportant, like in twenty years, they won't matter because they don't really change the big scheme."

"You're strange, you know?"

"I know . . . I know . . ."Meghan trails off.

The next morning, Giles and Jessica are in the living room talking as they sip on tea.

"I'm really glad you saved the coffee table. It's nice to have something for our cups,"Giles says.

"I guess I did save it. Do you know when Meghan came in?"

"She was out really late. Spike came in and nodded to me before leaving. I don't know when she'll be up. I won't be surprised if she sleeps all day,"Giles says.

Meghan walks in the room.

"Would you be surprised if I woke up early, then?"Meghan asks.

Giles and Jessica look up at her.

"'Morning, Meghan,"Jessica says.

"Are Willow and Tara home?"Meghan asks, worried.

"No. They left a half hour ago. I think they're gonna be gone all day,"Jessica says.

Meghan sighs.

"What was it you were saying about a phone call last night?"Giles asks Meghan.

"Right. Angel's gonna call, and he's gonna want to see Jessica,"

"What?"Jessica exclaims. "Giles, do I have to?"

Giles looks at her.

"Jess, you know you do. It's not like it's all that hard,"Meghan tells her.

"How do you know? You're not the one that's going!"Jessica yells back.

"Girls!"Giles said.

"Jess, you're acting like a baby,"Meghan continues. "All you have to say is hello. He'll say he wants to meet you. You say where. He'll name a place between here and there, I'm betting it's a diner or a gas station or something like that. Then you say you'll meet him tonight because we'll need to practice what you'll say to him. He'll agree. You'll say bye. He'll say bye. You'll both hang up. Not a big deal."

"I think it may be a under estimate of what you'll say on the phone, but it's the basics,"Giles agrees.

The phone rings.

"Oh my god! Meghan you answer it. You know what to say!"Jessica yells.

Meghan rolls her eyes and picks up the phone.

"Hello? . . .Hi, Angel, . . .yeah, she's, um, back, . . . yes, you can talk to her, just give me a minute to get her alright? . . .okay, hang on,"Meghan says to the phone.

Meghan then walks over to Jessica and holds out the phone to her. Jessica shakes her head. Meghan sits down next to her and holds the phone between them so they both can hear. Meghan remembers Angel's vampire hearing and turns her face away from the phone. He might wonder why he can hear two people breathing over the phone. Giles sits and listens intently to this end of the conversation.

"Hello?"Jessica asks.

"Buffy?"Angel asks. "Is it really you?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"I want to see you."

"Where?"

"Not here. Not there. I'll find a place between here and there. I'll call you on your cell phone and tell you where. Okay?"

"Sure. Well, I can't leave right now. But I'll meet you there tonight, alright?"

"Okay,"

"I guess I'll see you then."

"Yes, you will."

"Bye, Angel."

"Bye. Buffy."

Jessica hangs up the phone. Giles sat in puzzlement. The conversation went almost as Meghan had said it would. Meghan rolls over laughing.

"What is so funny?"Jessica asks.

"Angel. He's just so dramatic. It's hilarious,"Meghan says through her laughter.

Giles smiles at this. Jessica looks up him.

"Well, she is right,"Giles says.

Meghan's laughter dies off.

"I guess we'll need to practice what you're going to say,"Meghan sighs.

"After we go through these bills,"Giles reminds them.

"Damn. I thought I wouldn't have to worry about those,"Jessica says.

"Nope. You're going to be working the Palace from here on out, little girl,"Meghan says and beings to laugh again.

"Oh, my God. Giles, don't let them make me wear the hat!"Jessica begs.

"What hat?"Giles asks.

"The hat with a mock cow head and mock chicken feathers! This is horrible! I don't want to do it. No way in hell am I going to do it,"Jess says resolutely.

"Just calm down now. Let's worry about one problem, then we'll worry about the next. Alright?"Giles said.

"Alright,"Meghan and Jessica agreed.

"Now. Meghan is your homework finished?"

"Yes,"Meghan tells him.

"You can take a few books and do some research on a way to get you two home. Jessica?"Giles continues.

"Present!"Jessica says.

"You and I are going to go over these bills and figure out in what order to pay them off once you get a job,"Giles says.

Jessica groans, but it is useless. Giles begins to go over the bills with her. A few hours later, Giles releases her from the bills.

"I guess that's about it,"Giles says.

"Yes!"Jessica exclaims triumphantly.

"But you still have to practice for Angel,"Giles reminded her.

"Damn."

"Meghan could you come over here?"Giles asks.

Meghan, who is sitting at the kitchen table looking over some books, rises and walks into the living room.

"Now, how does their reunion happen?"Giles asks her.

"They didn't show it on TV. Angel and Buffy are on different stations right now. But I can guess how it will go,"Meghan offers.

"Tell us what you think will happen,"Giles says.

Through the predicted telephone conversation, Giles had seen how Meghan seemed to understand Angel's inner workings fairly well, and wanted her thoughts on what they would do.

"Well, I think it'll happen like this. Angel will be there waiting for you. You'll show up and he'll hug you. He won't take it much further. Soul issues, plus, this is sixth season here, third season there, season finale is 'Tomorrow' so this is the season Angel begins to fall in love with Cordelia. So he'll keep his distance."

"What did you say? Angel will fall in love with _Cordelia_?"Giles asks astounded.

"Yeah. She's changed a lot since high school. She's a messenger for the Powers That Be now and working her way to Champion status. It really kind of sucks what happened -- _will happen_ -- to her,"Meghan explained.

"I'm guessing this is one of the things I shouldn't know, so let's continue with the meeting,"Giles said.

"Well, Jess will show. They'll hug. He'll ask you how you are. Don't lie to him, not completely. Just tell him something to the extent of this is really weird for you, but you're getting better. He'll say her understands, that it's hard to be resurrected. What then? He'll be quiet for a moment, then he'll say that he's missed you. You should say the same,"Meghan says. "Then what?"

Meghan begins to pace, and they watch her think. Meghan stops.

"I guess you'll should say that you should be getting back, if he doesn't say it first. He'll agree. They'll be another hug. Another "I missed you". Just say that you know and say goodbye. Then you'll leave. Factor in all the awkward silences, the intense gazing, and all the talking, and the meeting should be done and over within about fifteen minutes to a half hour,"Meghan says.

"That sounds like how a meeting between them would go,"Jess says.

Giles sat in silent wonder of Meghan's ability to read people.

"What do you think, Giles?"Meghan asks.

"I think you've hit the nail on the head exactly,"Giles replies.

Meghan smiles at this and then yawns.

"I don't know about you two, but I could use some sleep. Good night,"Meghan says.

Meghan turns and walks up the stairs. The clock chimes two in the afternoon.

At six, Jessica and Giles stand by the door.

"Are you sure I have to go?"Jessica asks again.

"No, go ahead. Call Angel back and tell him you don't want to. He'll only wonder why the love of his life doesn't want to see him as badly as he wants to see her,"Giles tells her.

"Really?"Jessica asks, brightening up.

"No."

"Damn. This being another person thing is so hard."

"Well, acting is a hard profession. Though most actors don't have to act 24/7,"Giles tells her.

"Wow, Giles said '24/7' I think the world just stopped,"Meghan says descending the stairs.

"Come to see me off to hell, have you?"Jessica asks.

"You know it,"Meghan tells her. "But you'll be find. He'll let it slide if you act weird. Everyone else has. I mean you were just resurrected, after all."

"Thanks for the peep talk, Coach. You've really inspired the troop,"Jessica says sarcastically.

"Then my job here is done. Don't be too long. You'll get to try all sort of new jobs when you get back."

"All of which I will fail at miserably,"Jessica reminds them.

"You're stalling."

"I know."

Meghan hugs Jessica.

"Goodbye. I'll see you in couple of hours. And don't buy more chicken than you alone can eat,"Meghan tells her.

"Okay."

"Good luck, Jessica,"Giles tells her.

"Thanks."

Meghan opens the door and motions for Jessica to leave.

"You have your cell phone if you need us,"Meghan reminds Jessica.

"Okay."

"Now, walk out the door."

"I'm trying. Did you already make that wish?"Jessica asks.

"I didn't make any wish,"Meghan says.

Jessica still didn't move. Meghan sighs and pushes Jessica out the door.

"Now go,"Meghan says.

"I'm going. I'm going,"Jessica says walking down to the street.

Meghan closes the door.

"So what's for dinner?"Meghan asks Giles.

Giles simply stares at her.

FIN

A/N: So I lied. Are you the now or never kind? I like "Here's to the Night" by Eve 6. Anyway so I said within a week, butI didn't plan on making a writting and filming a movie last week either. So let me know what you think. There's some editing mistakes on earlier chapers. I'll see if I can't fix that. The next chapers should be up around Christmas, but I won't promise anything. Now, plz r&r. I makes me happy and I didn't get any on the last chappie. Thanks!


End file.
